"Don't Play With My Emotions Baby, I'm Another Breed"

Oh man, soulful deep house to the max on Gorgon City's new one featuring Jennifer Hudson. So much wobble and funk mixed with high octane vocals. It's as if 90s pop got a huge, glorious facelift with slightly more bass.

The official scoreboard has this as Gorgon's fifth, count that, fifth single off their debut studio album Sirens. At this point, I'm kicking myself for passing on their upcoming performance in the Bay Area. To me, Gorgon City means deep house and their ability to effortlessly weave R&B into their style only adds to their allure...#GoAllNight

Gorgon City feat Jennifer Hudson - Go All Night

"Red, Orange, Yellow Flicker Beat Sparkin Up My Heart"

With the latest installment of the Hunger Games about two months away, it's time to fuel up the hype train with some new music. The first salvo came in the form of Lorde's new single Yellow Flicker Beat. The track starts with a familiar haunting tone that is quickly followed up with an upbeat crescendo of pop harmony. On first listen, the track seemed a bit too slow for my liking, but there's a subtly rebellious undertone that seems perfect for Mocking Jay Part 1. It will be a tall task trying to equal the previous soundtrack, but all things considered, it was successful in getting me excited for the movie and you can't ask for much more than that...#YellowFlickerBeat

"We Know We Can, We Can Survive"

It seems only fitting that I post a new track featuring Sam Smith on the day that I see him in concert. The vocals may be a little obscured making them sound less like Sam, but you better believe it's him helping out producer Freddy Verano with his new single Moments. It has a piano-led deep house feel to it, but it seems fitting for a Sunday funday mix. The pink balloon in the cover art is fitting because the carefree vibes on Moments are tangible. Feel free and head on over to hypem if you want to keep this guy at the top of the list today...#Moments

"Your Soul Could Never Grow Old, It's Evergreen"

Couple of things to note about this post. First and foremost, you're probably going to notice the amount of Soundcloud embeds quickly dwindling over the next month. Unfortunately, they have been rendered almost completely useless by the three major labels. I understand why they made the decisions they did, but there has to be repercussions for turning your back on the artists and supporters who helped you build your platform to a $600 million empire.

Second, Ed Sheeran continues to be the king of the modern day acoustic ballad. If you haven't given a listen to his latest album x, there's plenty of reason for why it has gone gold or platinum in a handful of countries. This is the third single off the album and it might end up being my favorite when all is said and done. Chances are you lady likes this one slightly more than you, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't like it just as much...#ThinkingOutLoud

Videos of the Week September 26

Sort of a throwback week with Andre 3000 and Nas surfacing with interviews and a much hyped documentary. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to see Outkast as they make their way across the US on tour. Along the same lines, I'm intrigued from a historical perspective of how "Time is Illmatic" puts a proper bookmark on Hip Hop history.

If nostalgia is your drug, you'll enjoy One Republic's new one for I Lived. If funny is what you're looking for you're going to have a tough decision between Nardwuar's interview and Jimmy Fallon/Andy Samberg's brief snippets of hilarity. When it comes to breaking stereotypes and general social awkwardness, it really doesn't get any better than Nardwuar...#Nardwuar
One Republic - I Lived (Video)

Nardwuar vs Flosstradamus Interview

Andre 3000 Talks Being on Tour Again

A Look Inside the Making of Time is Illmatic Documentary

Jimmy Fallon & Andy Samberg - 5 Second Summaries

Photo Credit: YouTube

"Days of Frustration Keep Y'all on Tuck and Rotation"

And so it begins. The daunting task of trying to top an all-time classic album commences. With the release of i, Kendrick Lamar has lit the fuse on album number two that is slated to drop sometime in 2015.

His first single has a distinct live band quality to it that wasn't part of Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. Aside from that, there's a lot of similarities in the mixing of deliveries with spitfire verses on the track. Staying true to form, there's plenty of worldly views and storytelling in them mix if you give it a good listen. All things considered, it's not my favorite Kendrick track, but I can dig the uptempo vibe and uplifting message about valuing yourself as a human being...#i

Kendrick Lamar - i (prod by Rahki)

RL Grime Reminds of "When You Were Mine"

...speaking of stepping outside of an artist's usual sound, I did not see this coming from RL Grime. After hearing his latest single, Core, I was pretty convinced that RL's upcoming album (Void) was going to be chalked full of loud, bangin' trap music. Then I heard his new track Reminder, which flipped the script completely, similarly to his album announcement video (below)...
Featuring the vocals of Justin Timberlake How to Dress Well, Reminder is more of a power ballad than anything. It's methodical, emotional and sounds more like a track The Weeknd would have put together. Whatever the case, it's an intriguing development in the sound of RL's debut release...#RLGrime

RL Grime feat How To Dress Well - Reminder

"Sway, Just Move With Me Darling"

You know how I keep giving The Chainsmokers love for introducing me to new Indie artists? Well, they're at it again, this providing a calmly melodic rendition of Anna of the North's Sway. If you haven't heard the original, check it below...

All in all it's a very simple, but memorable track. Leave the bass at the door and prepare to get proper mellow. Better yet, download it for free if you'd like. To all the haters who wish this track was yet another deep house track, evolve...same gets boring and you should appreciate when Alex and Drew get adventurous...#Chainsmokers

Anna of the North - Sway (The Chainsmokers Remix)

Abandon Ship is Coming, Go Boss Mode

With every new leak the hype for Knife Party's Abandon Ship keeps building. Their new one, Boss Mode, grows in intensity as the track progresses. I'd call the track organized, but increasingly loud and hard hitting. It won't melt your face or anything, but you'll find yourself nodding your head more and more with each bass hit.

To this point Knife Party has showcased a few different styles. They have skewed slightly Indie Pop with Begin Again and kept it real with their quirky synth led Resistance. Between the three songs, it's tough to get a consistent bead on what Abandon Ship will sound like. As a fan of both variety and just about everything Knife Party puts out, I hope they keep dabbling and pushing the limits of what we know they are capable of doing...#BossMode

Knife Party - Boss Mode

"These Are the Nights That Never Die, Father Told Me"

As we all collectively hope for Avicii to get well soon, it's encouraging that he's continuing to release new music. Last week it was the preview of his collaboration with Robbie Williams and this week it's his new track off the FIFA 2015 Soundtrack titled The Nights. When you think soccer, you think sing-along tracks you'd hear at a pub. In his own Avicii way, he found a way to embody that sentiment while staying true to his own melodic, easy-listening style of EDM. Word has it Madeon and A-trak will also be featured on the upcoming soundtrack, so you can bet that in addition to it being a great game to play, the game experience will also be boosted by the accompanying tunes...#FIFA2015

Skrillo and Diplex Will Jack U

After months of rumors and anticipation, we finally have something tangible to hold onto with regards to the formation of the EDM super duo Jack U. Diplo and Skrillex are now making music together, which seems like a match made in heaven. You've got Skrillex's dubstep mastery with Diplo's unique blend of tribal percussion and trap samples. It's like make your own ice cream sundae bar and you decide, what the hell let's put all the toppings on this already delicious ice cream base.

On Take U There, they enlist the high pitched vocal support of Kiesza to create a booming, clanging, popping symphony of madness. You can hear both styles coming together and while it's very rough around the edges, it serves as the preview of the potential that is to come in future releases. If I were anywhere near New York on New Years eve, I would be buying tickets right now for their New Years Eve bash. Listening to it digitally is one thing, but seeing both of these guys live on the same stage would be something else...#JackU

Jack U feat Kiesza - Take U There

K.R.I.T. Goes in on alt-J's Every Other Freckle

Here's another great example why Big K.R.I.T. is light years beyond the average Hip Hop artist. Yes, there are plenty of artists who also produce, but what Hip Hop artist goes out of his way to do a mix of a British Indie rock band's single? The only correct answer to that question is Meridian, Mississippi's own.

How you go about adding a beat to the original version of Every Other Freckle is beyond me. It's such a chill, slightly melodic track that you wouldn't think would fit under the purview of Hip Hop, but somehow K.R.I.T. squeezed in a top notch verse. For me, it doesn't get much more interesting when one of my favorite artist goes outside of his usual comfort zone, so consider it a treat tonight...#EveryOtherFreckle

Photo Credit: YouTube

Arty x One Republic - "I Swear I Lived"

It's not for everyone, but some bands just remix well with progressive house. More specifically, bands who are led by great vocalists sounds great when mixed over an uplifting chord progression. To that point, Arty deserves a lot of credit for what he did with One Republic's I Lived.

While the original is more of a chant-along ballad, the remix takes it up a notch energy wise to a much more melodic place. The building excitement of the beat gives way to a jubilant drop that has the ability to take you to a happier place. Happy and easy listening go well together and when you're dealing with a foundation built by One Republic, good things will happen...#ILived

One Republic - I Lived (Arty Remix)

Dillon Francis x Major Lazer = Bouncy Tribal EDM

I feel like I've posted about half of Dillon Francis's upcoming album Money Sucks, Friends Rule, but that should be an indication of how chalked full of energy it's going to be. The newest incarnation from upcoming release features some serious Diplo/Major Lazer influence with the part tribal, part reggae vibe. It's a bit a departure from Dillon's usual Moombahton sound, but that doesn't make it any less interesting. The raucous, booming beat mixes well with damn near inaudible reggae lyrics. With about a month and a half until the album drops on October 28th, I gotta admit, I'm starting to wonder just how good the end result might be...#MoneySucksFriendsRule

Dillon Francis - We Make It Bounce (feat. Major Lazer & Stylo G)

"Would Someone Get Me Out of Here?"

On first impression, you would expect a track by Steve Aoki and Flux Pavilion to be a rage-fest. Both are known for their ability to ignite clubs, so you'd think combining the two forces would be like putting gasoline on dynamite, right? Not exactly, but that doesn't take anything away from their soothing, melodic dubstep concoction below.

Kill those preconceived notions of the word soothing because even though the tempo of Get Me Outta Here doesn't push the needle, the drop still packs a punch. The controlled synths result in a formulaic ebb and flow, but the heavy bottom provides plenty of oomph. This is one of a hand full of tracks that I'm excited about on Steve Aoki's upcoming sophomore album Neon Future I...#NeonFutureI

Steve Aoki & Flux Pavilion - Get Me Outta Here

Just Can't Lose With Crookers & Jeremih

Do you like booty shaking club bass? Does it make your day when R&B and EDM are mixed together in a way that makes you like them both more? If either of those are true, then you'll enjoy this brand spankin' new heat rock by Crookers and Jeremih.

In case you missed it, Crookers let loose an official single last week in Picture This. Whereas Picture This was rigid, phrenetic, and haunting, I Just Can't features Jeremih's soothing vocals that sound awesome when mixed with the high pitched synths. If you press play, just know, the song is meant to be played with volume...#Crookers

Stream removed due to DMCA request

Knife Party Press the Reset Button and Begin Again

Up until this point, I've closely associated Knife Party with hard driving, almost haunting drum and bass combinations that are 80% rage and 20% harmony. Unless we're all being thrown for a loop, their second single off their upcoming album is a stark contrast to their previous releases. It's as if Rob Swire decided to channel Pendulum's sound and mesh it with the sound he and Gareth have created so far with Knife Party. I'll be honest, the 80s style synthesizers throughout definitely threw me for a loop, but the energy level of the song was very Knife Party-esque.

Before you get all "WTF this isn't Knife Party", you might want to do a bit of research on how they evolved into Knife Party. I applaud them for creating a funk driven track with vocals that goes directly against their usual style. Abandon Ship will be here in just over a month (Oct 27) and if you're like me, your excitement levels are appreciating by the day...#AbandonShip

Knife Party - Begin Again

Videos of the Week September 12

If you were to ask me what word describes this week's top 5, I'd use the word silly. Aside from Chris Brown reflecting on what it took to finally grow up, there a lot of tom foolery. The biggest and (to me) most entertaining video was the baby black bear playing with the pin on the green. I don't know why but those types of genuinely authentic moments I find really entertaining. Channing Tatum just invented an interesting way to "shake hands" and deadmau5 felt the need to take his new McLaren 650S out for a spin to promote his web series and Uber. Pretty sure I would have lost it if he showed up to pick me up. Finally, I got super nostalgic watching Jimmy Fallon and everyone's favorite Sesame Street characters. Sure, it was doubly funny hearing them read funny tweets, but I grew up on that and it will never get old...#LoveSesameStreet
deadmau5 Drives For uberX

The D*ck Graze by Channing Tatum

Baby Bear Circus Act on Golf Course

Jimmy Fallon - Sesame Street Hashtags #WhenIWasAKid

Chris Brown on How Him and Drake Are Cool With Each Other

Photo Credit: YouTube

Some Carefree Music From Two Great Up and Comers

Seeing that both Miami Horror and RAC are noteworthy names on this section of the internet, a collaboration between the two elicited some genuine excitement tonight. What I heard wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but RAC's mix of Wild Motion is about as carefree as a dude smoking a blunt walking down the street. It's smooth, funky and Indie to the point that you can envision hipsters singing along with every lyric. If you're not wearing a smile and starting to get ready for the weekend after a few listens, then you may want to hit the next blog button...#WildMotion

Miami Horror - Wild Motion (RAC Mix)

An Out of Nowhere Pretty Flacko & Sam Smith Collabo

Wait a minute...Pretty Flacko and Sam Smith? Really? I still haven't figured out how A$AP keeps landing cameos on ballads, but I'll concede that he holds his own on them. The bluesy remix offers the same soulful crooning that we've become accustomed to from Sam Smith, but this time with a bit of edge provided by the two verses from A$AP.

Man I can't tell y'all how excited I am to see Sam Smith live in a few weeks. I haven't done a concert review for a while, but that may have to change if I'm able to get some footage. Til then feel free and head on over to iTunes to cop the remix....#NotTheOnlyOne

Sam Smith feat A$AP Rocky - I'm Not The Only One (Remix)

"I Can Read Your Body Language"

When I see produced by Stargate, you've got my attention. They could produce for Paris Hilton and I'd probably give the track a listen. I'm stil warming up to Cashmere Cat, but combine the two powers together and you're set up for success.

When I think Kid Ink, I think of his chart topper Show Me with Chris Brown. I wouldn't quite put Body Language on the same level as his previous hit, but the Usher and Tinashe features take the track up a few levels. The mellow, bouncy beat is catchy enough to garner more than a few Top 40 spins. If you're in the mood for a catchy, chill Hip Hop track this one is going to hit the spot...#BodyLanguage

Kid Ink feat Usher & Tinashe - Body Language (prod by Cashmere Cat & Stargate)

System of a Down Gets Down With Benny Benassi

I can't say I've ever been a huge fan of System of a Down, but when it comes to memorable voices, Serj Tankian sits atop the list. His soft, theater-esque, dramatic harmony generally seems like a complete mismatch with hard rock, but that's also what allows him to stand out. It's safe to say that his unique vocals fit in a similar way with Benny Benassi's balls to wall beat on Shooting Helicopters. The drama leading up to the drop is palpable, giving way to a face melting drop. Although my temptation is to consider this track a novelty, it's uniqueness makes it a really likable track...#ShootingHelicopters

Benny Benasi feat Serj Tankian - Shooting Helicopters

Mary J and Disclosure Make a Formidable Duo

I appreciate Mary J Blige and respect her longevity as an R&B legend, but I probably wouldn't have posted this track had it not been for the on-point beat cooked up by Disclosure. Initially I was sucked in by the written by Sam Smith aspect of Right Now, but the funky electro synth beat was the reason I kept listening. It follows the same tried and true emotionally deep ballad style that has worked for decades, but the new Disclosure twist is intriguing. You can expect this one to surface on MJB's upcoming release, The London Sessions, which will be her 13th studio album...#TheLondonSessions

Mary J Blige - Right Now (Prod by Disclosure & co-written by Sam Smith)

So Much Dillon Francis, I Can't Take It

With every passing day, I feel like I hear about a new, epic Dillon Francis collaboration. First it was the snippet with Kygo, then yesterday we all got wind of a quasi-joke, quasi-awesome Flintstones remix with Martin Garrix (below)...

Needless to say, the hype is building for Dillon's upcoming album Money Sucks, Friends Rule. A few weeks back, I dropped the ball on posting his latest single, I Can't Take It. That wasn't by design and as a result, today is a bit of a make up post. The track is another shining example of the potential of Moombahton, featuring echoing synths and bouncy bass. It's a tough task, but somehow Dillon always seems to live up to post-drop expectations...#DillonFrancis

Dillon Francis - I Can't Take It

Videos of the Week September 5th

Good mix of humor, entertainment and just plain awesome vocals in this week's top five. The list includes a trailer from a festival I still have on my bucket list (EDC), an inspirational video for those who are finding themselves in the fight with cancer (Remission), some fantasy football humor courtesy of Jimmy Fallon, visuals from one of the better Hip Hop EDM collabos in recent memory (That Girl) and last, but certainly not least, an incredible vocal performance by none other than Sam Smith. I know Fast Car will never be able to be done better than Tracy Chapman, but it's hard to touch Sam's version. I've got a date to see Sammy S live in less than a month and you better believe I'm counting down the days...#FastCar
"Under the Electric Sky" Electric Daisy Carnival Trailer

Sam Smith Covering Tracy Chapman's Fast Car

Stafford Brothers feat T.I. & Eva Simons - This Girl (Video)

Lupe Fiasco feat Jennifer Hudson & Common - Remission (Video)

Jimmy Fallon Outlines the Pros and Cons of Playing Fantasy Football

Photo Credit: YouTube

Calvin Harris Introduces John Newman to the World

Before you get all excited hoping the second coming of C.U.B.A. is here, cool out for a minute. While you do that, get to know up and coming British vocalist John Newman. He's most well-known for his Love Me Again single that set the tone for his debut album Tribute.

Now that you're familiar with his vocal talents, picture his voice over a crisp new Calvin Harris beat. Now we're cookin' with peanut oil! You can bet this track will signify his introduction to the US in a big way. Let the excitement continue for Calvin Harris's upcoming yet-to-be-titled album...#Blame

Avicii & Wang Leehom Make Sweet Music Together

Well, if you were looking for unique, you've come to the right place. I didn't think I'd ever see the day where I'd be posting a track with Chinese vocals, but then Avicii decided to collaborate with one of the most recognizable artists in China.

Truth be told Lose Myself is more of a ballad than an EDM track, but the piano leading up to the chord progressions throughout the track have Avicii's fingerprints all over them. The lyrical translation is beyond me, but Soundcloud tells me that the song "depicts a tragic love story while the music echoes the sound of celebration and rebirth." Whatever the case, Wang Leehom's soft vocals are easy on the ears and complement the beat well. Despite not understanding a word on the track, I enjoyed the collaboration...#LoseMyself

Wang Leehom feat Avicii - Lose Myself

Ever Wondered What It Sounded Like to Drive in 1975?

For those of you who gave a full listen to Travi$ Scott's debut mixtape Owl Pharoah, the track below will sound familiar. It was one of the many highlights on a mixtape that put Travi$ on my radar as an artist to watch going forward. All that being said, I didn't envision a British Indie rock band remixing Drive at any point of time.

Enter The 1975. Last year the quartet from Manchester released a self titled debut album that found it's way to certified gold status. That fact combined with their silky smooth treatment to the track below has piqued my interest in the band. Boy did they make James Fauntleroy sound at home over the new beat. Feel free to add this to your latest cool out mix and keep an eye out for anything labeled The 1975...#The1975

Travi$ Scott feat James Fauntleroy - Drive (The 1975 Remix)

No Sleeping on This Plane

I'll admit, I get a little nostalgic every time I hear Wiz Khalifa's This Plane. It's a shining example of how Wiz stuck to his business model of making great free music until he developed an army of Taylors that were more than willing to buy his music. Since I've heard the original close to 100 times now, it was a breath of fresh air to hear a new take on it by nosleep.

Slowly, but steadily nosleep has been releasing some absolutely dope beats. Feel free and add this electro-dub beat mixed to Wiz's vocals to the list. Hailing from Pittsburgh, you can bet he made sure this one came correct before releasing it to the masses. If I were to suggest one thing, it would be to let nosleep's Soundcloud channel play for a bit to get a feel for what he's capable of creating...#nosleep

Wiz Khalifa - This Plane (nosleep remix)